LINKAGE BETWEEN RESEARCH SPONSORSHIP AND PATENTED EYE-CARE TECHNOLOGY

Purpose. To examine the linkage between the funding of ophthalmologic and related biomedical research and the development of patented eye-ca re technology using data on patents granted and the scientific literat ure cited by those patents. Methods. The United States patents granted during the 20-year period from 1975 through 1994 were screened using patent office classifications and key words to identify all eye-care-r elated patents. Each patent's nonpatent references (references to lite rature other than previously granted patents) were examined, and those references to scientific papers then were reviewed to determine the a uthors' institutions and acknowledged funding sources. Results. Major findings include the following: (1) Eye technology innovation has grow n steadily, with a threefold increase in number of patents granted fro m 224 in 1975 to 662 in 1994. (2) The cited scientific base that suppo rts this technology has grown even more rapidly, with a sixfold increa se in the average number of nonpatent references, from fewer than 0.5 per patent in 1975 to more than 3.0 in 1994; as a result, the total nu mber of nonpatent references has increased by a factor of 20, from 100 in 1975 to 2000 in 1994. (3) The National Eye Institute is the leadin g single institution in providing support for this research: 31% of al l eye-care patents with science references cite papers that contain at least one acknowledgment to National Eye Institute (NEI) support; and when NEI is combined with the rest of the National Institutes of Heal th (NIH), 41% of the patents with science references are linked to NIH -funded research. (4) Patent science dependence, as measured by scienc e references, is greatest for technologies related to medical treatmen t, surgical instruments, and intraocular lenses; moderate for diagnost ic instruments and contact lens; and least for eyeglasses. Conclusions . The NIH and other sponsored vision research is of direct and increas ing relevance to the growing number of US patented eye-care technologi es.